Display fixture



Jan. 18, 1966 D. E. EVERBURG 3,229,944

DISPLAY FIXTURE Filed March 18, 1964 INVENTOR DONALD E. EVERBURG ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,229,944 DISPLAY FIXTURE Donald E. Everburg, Southbridge, Mass., assignor to American Optical Company, Southbridge, Mass., a voluntary association Filed Mar. 18, 1964, Ser. No. 352,769 3 Claims. (Cl. 248-223) This invention relates to improvements in display fixtures and more particularly to fixtures for displaying spectacle frames or like articles in merchandising exhibits.

An object of the invention is to provide for the display of spectacle frames, sunglasses or like articles in such manner as to render the view thereof complete and comprehensive with a minimum of distraction from extraneous supporting structure and with continuity of design between front and side portions of the articles fully and most advantageously exhibited in a simulated position of use.

As a corollary of this it is an objective of the invention to simplify and expedite selection of spectacle frames or like articles from merchandising displays thereof by minimizing the need for handling of such articles during scrutiny thereof.

Still another object is to provide unique, simple and inexpensive means for so supporting spectacle frames or like articles in an exhibit as to permit expedient unimpeded removal, replacement or interchangement of the articles in the exhibit.

A display fixture embodying principles of the present invention is described in the following detailed description which is accompanied by a drawing in which FIG. 1 is a view in front elevation of one embodiment of the invention with an exemplary spectacle frame illustrated by dotted outline as being supported therein;

FIG. 2 is a side view partially in section of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the embodiment and FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken generally along line 4--4 of FIG. 3.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown in FIG. 1 fixture in which exemplary spectacle frame 12 is illustrated as being supported for display purposes.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, fixture 10 comprises rear mounting plate 14, forward spectacle rim receiving tray 16 having prop 18 rising substantially vertically therefrom at substantially its midpoint and supporting bracket 20 interconnecting plate 14 and tray 16. Bracket 20 is reinforced adjacent plate 14 by ribs 22.

Mounting plate 14 is intended to be connected to a Wall or merchandising display panel or board 24 and, in accordance with one aspect of the invention, rearwardly extending lugs 26 are formed integrally with plate 14 for this purpose. Lugs 26 are slotted or circumferentially grooved at 27 adjacent their free ends to provide heads 28 thereon. Fixture 10 is mounted on board 24 by directing lugs 26 through appropriately formed openings 30 (FIGS. 2 and 3) in the board such as, for example, would be available in the so called peg-boards commonly used in merchandising displays. Retaining clip 32 having appropriately spaced and dimensioned slots 33 is forced behind heads 28 and against the rear side of board 24 to make the connection of fixture 10 to board 24 substantially as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3.

It should be understood, however, that mounting plate 14 of fixture 10 may be formed without lugs 26 thereon and attached to board 24 or a wall or the like with cement, staples, rivets or screws, all of which are not shown.

It is presently preferred that for ease and economy of fabrication, all parts of fixture 10 including lugs 26, when used, be formed simultaneously and integrally of an ice acrylic plastic or the like by injection molding. Clip 32 may be formed of the same material also by injection molding.

In order that fixture 10 may be as little as possible distracting to the customer viewing a frame, it is preferably formed of a highly transparent or clear acrylic plastic.

Referring more particularly to details of the forward spectacle supporting structure of fixture 10, it can be seen that tray 16 thereof is provided with a pair of relatively shallow channels (see FIG. 3) in which right and left lens supporting rims 38 and 40 respectively of spectacle frame 12 are seated substantially as illustrated in FIG. 1. Between channels 34 and 36, prop 18 extends generally vertically into a position rearwardly of bridge 42 of frame 12.

Tray 16 is disposed relative to the general plane of mounting plate 14 at an angle which is presently preferred to be approximately 45 so as to cause frame 12 to be similarly disposed at that angle relative to display board 24 when placed in tray 16. Also, bracket 20 is of such length as to position tray 16 at a distance forwardly of board 24 sufiicient to permit temple 44 of frame 12 to be fully extended or opened to a simulated position of use, see FIG. 1. At the same time, temple 46 is permitted to be at least partially opened. Thus, in such extended positions, temples 42 and 44 cause frame front 48 to automatically pivot about the lower edges of rims 38 and 40 into a leaning position against prop 18, see FIG. 1. With bridge 42 urged in one direction against prop 18 adjacent leaning point 50 and rims 38 and 40 simultaneously urged in the opposite direction firmly against the forward rising edges of channels 34 and 36 together with the weight of front 48 tending to seat rims 38 and 40 in tray 16, frame 12 is automatically held in secure fixed relationship in fixture 10. Thus, according to principles of this invention, frame 12 is supported entirely Without clips, clamps or fastening means of any sort and can, therefore, be quickly and easily removed from and replaced upon fixture 10.

As it can be seen in FIG. 1, frame 12 is displayed in perspective with at least one temple thereof fully opened in a simulated position of use to provide for full and comprehensive viewing of the frame without the need for handling. Continuity of design between front 48, endpiece 52 and temple 42 is unbrokentand aesthetic distortion of the frames front 48 by temples being folded thereacross is avoided.

Frame 12 can be displayed with temple 46 removed if desired since one temple 44, fully extended, is suflicient to retain frame 12 in the afore-described leaning relationship against prop 18. The tendency for frame front 48 to twist in tray 16 about prop 18 is avoided by the channeled configuration of the tray.

It is to be understood that tray 16 of fixture 10 can be formed on bracket 20 at any preselected angle relative to the general plane of mounting plate 14 other than the above-mentioned 45 angle and the invention also contemplates the fabrication of both right and left hand fixtures to permit the facing of frame fronts in right or left hand directions relative to a normal viewing position in accordance with the direction determined to be best suited for a particular display area.

Iclaim:

1. A fixture comprising a mounting plate adapted to be secured to a vertically mounted display panel, a bracket extending from said plate to a termination forwardly thereof, a relatively long and narrow tray adjacent the termination of said bracket, said tray being lengthwise disposed at an acute angle relative to said plate, a relatively long and thin prop rising from said tray intermediate opposite ends thereof and means on said'plate fortfastening said fixture to a panel comprising at least one lug having a terminal end section adapted to be extended through an opening when provided in a panel and retaining means removably applicable to said end section for preventing withdrawal of said lug in said opening.

2. A fixture comprising a mounting plate adapted to be secured to a vertically mounted display panel, a bracket extending from said plate to a termination forwardly thereof, a relatively long and narrow tray adjacent the termination of said bracket, said trayibeing'lengthwise disposed at an acute angle relative to said plate, a relatively long and thin prop rising from said tray intermediate opposite ends thereof and means on said plate for fastening said fixture to a panel comprising at least one lug having a grooved terminal end section adapted to be extended through an opening in a panel and retaining means removably applicable to said end section forpreventing withdrawal of said lug from' an opening, said retaining means comprising a slotted clipremovably insertable into said groove.

3. A fixture for displaying a spectacle frame in front perspective on a display panel with at least one temple of a frame fully extended to a simulated position of use, said fixture comprising the integral structure of a mountbeing of such dimension as to permit one temple to be fully extended towarda panel when a frame-is placed in said tray and rested" against said prop.

References Cited'by. the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 727,913 5/1903 Dixon 24126.1 1,845,808 2/1932 OiShei 88-77 2,623,722 12/1952 Glunt 248300 2,789,042 4/ 1957 Kinney 248O 2,884,219 4/1959 Glover 2483'09 2,884,220 4/ 1959 Manley 248309 3,001,748 9/1961 Austin 24828 CLAUDE A. LE'ROY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A FIXTURE COMPRISING A MOUNTING PLATE ADAPTED TO BE SECURED TO A VERTICALLY MOUNTED DISPLAY PANEL, A BRACKET EXTENDING FROM SAID PLATE TO A TERMINATION FORWARDLY THEREOF, A RELATIVELY LONG AND NARROW TRAY ADJACENT THE TERMINATION OF SAID BRACKET, SAID TRAY BEING LENGTHWISE DISPOSED AT AN ACUTE ANGLE RELATIVE TO SAID PLATE, A RELATIVELY LONG AND THIN PROP RISING FROM SAID TRAY INTERMEDIATE OPPOSITE ENDS THREOF AND MEANS ON SAID PLATE FOR FASTENING SAID FIXTURE TO A PANEL COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE LUG HAVING A TERMINAL END SECTION ADAPTED TO BE EXTENDED THROUGH AN OPENING WHEN PROVIDED IN A PANEL AND RETAINING MEANS REMOVABLY APPLICABLE TO SAID END SECTION FOR PREVENTING WITHDRAWAL OF SAID LUG IN SAID OPENING. 